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International Cost of Living Help

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, south of India. The climate is tropical monsoon.

The official languages are Sinhala and Tamil. English is the language of business. Many Sri Lankans outside business speak some English. The main religions are Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.

The economy of Sri Lanka is famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber and cinnamon which is native to the country.

Expatriate business dress is generally conservative, although casual smart clothing is acceptable given the warm weather. Sri Lanka is proud of it's tea and it is customary to be offered tea at business meetings. Expatriates who decline tea may be considered impolite.

The security risk for expatriates in Sri Lanka is medium. Risks include petty crime, tension between Sinhalese Buddhists, Tamil Hindus and Tamil Muslims and occasional clashes with the security forces.

The currency of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lanka Rupee (LKR). While ATMs are available in major urban areas not all international cards are accepted. Major credit cards are accepted at some shops and restaurants.

Medical facilities are not generally comparable to those of Western Europe and North America, especially in rural areas. In Colombo specialist medical care is available, but it is expensive.

The population of Sri Lanka is 21.4 Million (2018 est.), while the inflation rate (CPI) is 3.7% for Sri Lanka as at January 2019.

Xpatulator Hypothetical Tax for Sri Lanka is based on the current personal income tax rates which are progressive up to 24%.

Cost Of Living

The cost of living for expatriates / professional migrants in Sri Lanka as at 1 January 2019 is very low in comparison to other places in the world.

In Sri Lanka, the cost of each basket, based on local prices, compared to the international average, is categorized follows (Exact cost of living percentages only available in personalised reports):1) Alcohol (where available) & Tobacco: Very High2) Clothing: Very Low3) Communication: Very Low4) Education: Low5) Furniture & Appliances: Average6) Groceries: Average7) Healthcare: Very Low8) Household Accommodation: Average9) Miscellaneous: Average10) Personal Care: Very Low11) Recreation & Culture: Very Low12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Low13) Transport: Low

Sri Lanka is for example -9.5% cheaper than USA for groceries, -4.9% cheaper for household costs than UK, and 59.9% more expensive for transport costs than India.

Sri Lanka is ranked as a high degree of hardship location.

The hardship premium for Sri Lanka for an expat from Australia, is for example 20%, i.e. host location (Sri Lanka) premium of 30% minus home (Australia) location premium of 10%.

Want to know more about cost of living, hardship (quality of living) or expat salary in Sri Lanka? Register subscribe to your home location and Sri Lanka and run your personalised reports.